Coast Guard helps South Jersey honor Veterans

CAPE MAY, N.J. – Coast Guardsmen will be participating in numerous Veterans’ Day events to help commemorate the sacrifice of America’s servicemembers Monday.

Staff from Coast Guard Training Center Cape May will provide buglers, color guards and firing parties at a number of community events in honor of Veterans’ Day. Senior officials from the training center are also expected to speak at a number of these events.

CAPE MAY, N.J. – A Coast Guard recruit and a member of the Marine Corps League participate in a Veterans’ Day Ceremony here Nov. 11, 2013. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Donnie Brzuska.

“Veterans’ Day is about more than just recognizing and honoring the contributions of our past servicemembers,” said Capt. Todd Prestidge, the commanding officer of Training Center Cape May. “It’s also an opportunity to renew our faith in the future of our great country as thousands of amazing Americans still make a solemn promise to protect, defend, save and shield our Nation and its people – no matter the cost.”

Servicemembers at Training Center Cape May began Veterans’ Day with a ceremony at the Signalman 1st Class Douglas Munro Memorial here. The ceremony was attended by numerous active duty and prior servicemembers including members of the Marine Corps League 676 Dramis Detachment in Cape May and the Disabled American Veterans.

Several members of the training center staff will help educate students at the Maurice River Township School in Port Elizabeth, N.J., Monday at 9 a.m. A bugler and color guard from Training Center Cape May is scheduled to participate in the school’s Veteran’s Day ceremony.

Coast Guardsmen will also join the City of Cape May and members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for a Veterans’ Day observance at the Columbia Ave War Memorial in Cape May. A color guard, bugler and firing party will be at this event as well.

Training center staff will also attend the Veterans’ Day Ceremony at the Cape May County Veterans’ Cemetery in Cape May Courthouse, N.J., where Prestidge will be a keynote speaker. Members of the training center will also provide a bugler, color guard and firing party.